The invention relates to heat exchangers, and more particularly to compact heat exchangers.
Heat exchangers are, in many applications, relatively unconstrained as to the space which they may take up, but in many other applications it is imperative to minimize their size so that they can fit in restricted spaces such as vehicle engine compartments. For example, compact cooling systems are sometimes used in vehicular applications and typically include a plurality of heat exchangers (e.g. radiators), for cooling engine coolant as well as to cool oil, cool turbo or supercharged combustion air and to provide air conditioning to the passenger compartment. Such heat exchangers are sometimes placed together with one another around a radial fan in a box-like configuration. In these and other applications, not only is the size of the heat exchanger important, but the space required for the various connecting lines is also important in minimizing space. Of course, in all instances, cost and ease and reliability of manufacture are important as well.
The present invention is directed toward one or more of the considerations set forth above.
In one aspect of the present invention, a heat exchanger is provided including a first header having an inlet therein, a second header, an outlet in one of the first and second headers, and a plurality of flat tubes extending between the first and second headers for carrying a fluid between the first and second headers. A first connector is also provided for connecting a first exterior line to one of the first and second headers, the first connector being proximate and substantially parallel to an end of one of the flat tubes.
In one form, the tubes are arranged in a row with the tubes disposed with facing flat sides, with the first connector secured to a portion of the one of the first and second headers extending beyond the tube row. In another form, a second connector is provided for connecting a second exterior line to the other of the first and second headers, with the second connector proximate and parallel to another of the flat tubes which is at opposite ends of the row to the one flat tube.
In another aspect of the present invention, a compact cooling system is provided, including a radial fan directing air flow radially outwardly away from the fan axis and a plurality of heat exchangers as described above disposed around the radial fan with their headers extending generally in the same direction as the fan axis with the plurality of flat tubes spaced from a system front to a system back across the air flow. One of a system inlet and a system outlet are connected via the first exterior lines to the first connectors of at least two of the heat exchangers.
In a form of this aspect of the invention, two connectors are provided in the headers with one first connector adjacent the system front and the other connector adjacent the system back.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a heat exchanger is provided including two headers, with at least one header having a laterally extending wall with a plurality of tube openings and a feed opening proximate an end one of the tube openings in the wall. A plurality of flat tubes are secured in the first header tube openings and extend between the first and second headers for carrying a fluid between the first and second headers. A first connector for connecting a first exterior line to one of the first and second headers is secured in the first header feed opening and extends substantially parallel to the flat tubes.